LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Thomas A. Dee upon the occasion of his
designation for special commendation by Benedictine Hospital on January
8, 2009

WHEREAS, It is the practice of this Legislative Body to take note of and
publicly acknowledge those exemplary individuals whose purposeful lives
and distinguished careers have been committed to bettering the quality
of life in this great Empire State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
Thomas A. Dee upon the occasion of his designation for special commenda-
tion by Benedictine Hospital, to be recognized on Thursday, January 8,
2009, at the Wiltwyck Country Club, Kingston, New York; and
WHEREAS, For the past 17 years, Thomas A. Dee has rendered unwavering
dedication and service to the mission of Benedictine Hospital; further-
more, he has been an exemplary leader who has helped to improve the
quality of healthcare throughout the entire community; and
WHEREAS, Thomas A. Dee has served as the President of Benedictine
Hospital since 1997, when he took over as the Hospital's first lay Chief
Executive Officer; previously, he had served in the position of Execu-
tive Vice President and Administrator of Benedictine since 1992; and
WHEREAS, Prior to being employed with Benedictine Hospital, Thomas A.
Dee was a senior level Vice President at Vassar Brothers Hospital in
Poughkeepsie, New York; throughout his tenure at Vassar Brothers, he
also served as a Site Administrator for several hospital management
contracts which the hospital maintained; and
WHEREAS, Dedicated to the enhancement of his profession, Thomas A. Dee
serves on the board of several healthcare organizations on national,
statewide and regional levels; he is past Chairman of the New York State
Catholic Health Care Council; he recently completed his tenure as the
President of the Northern Metropolitan Hospital Association and as a
Board member of the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS); in
addition, he is a past delegate for New York State on the Region 2
Regional Advisory Board of the American Hospital Association; and
WHEREAS, Furthermore, Thomas A. Dee has been active in the American
College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE); has been a Regent for ACHE,
serving the Hudson Valley and Adirondack Region, and has served on
numerous ACHE committees; during his tenure as Regent, the Hudson Valley
Health Executives Association was formed; and
WHEREAS, With a strong belief in the community, Thomas A. Dee has
donated his time and energies to numerous civic and charitable endeav-
ors; he serves numerous organizations at the board level including
Hospice of Dutchess/Ulster Counties, the American Heart Association of
Dutchess/Ulster, the Ulster County Development Corporation, and the
Ulster County Chamber of Commerce; and
WHEREAS, Thomas A. Dee received his undergraduate degree from Xavier
University in Cincinnati, Ohio, with a degree in Business
Management/Marketing; he also earned his Master of Health Care Adminis-
tration from Xavier in 1980; in addition, he is a licensed Nursing Home
Administrator in the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, With him throughout have been his wife, Rita, and their five
children, all of whom feel privileged to be a part of his life and
rejoice in his achievements; and
WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the occurrence of such a compassionate blend-
ing of strength, intellect and commitment as that demonstrated by Thomas
A. Dee over a lifetime of sacrifice and dedication to others; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when individ-
uals of such noble and aims accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, it is appropriate to commend those individuals for the edification
and emulation of others; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Thomas A. Dee upon the occasion of his designation for special
commendation by Benedictine Hospital; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Thomas A. Dee.